Love at Long Last
by Celestial Aurora
Summary: Short story about Princess Serenity's and Prince Endymion's first romantic encounter in the Moon Kingdom. This fic explores a little bit of the feelings between Serenity and Endymion.


Love at Long Last  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Endymion's P.O.V.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Endymion stopped at the corner of the hall. He heard quiet footsteps and peered around the corner in search of the familiar face that accompanied them.  
  
'She has changed so much,' he thought. 'She's grown up a lot since the last time I saw her.'  
  
Endymion was referring to the Princess Serenity (of course.) The last time he had seen her was four years ago. She had been a crybaby and Endymion had been forced to put up with the brat for an entire month. But, during that, time he learned that there was more to her then being a crybaby. He had come to think of her as a little sister. But now he knew for sure that she wasn't his sister and he was quite happy about that fact.  
  
In the four years Endymion had been on Earth, Princess Serenity had changed from a whining, klutzy fourteen-year-old to a graceful, responsible, and beautiful eighteen-year-old.  
  
Now as Endymion glanced around the corner, he saw her walking at a very slow pace with a dreamy look on her face.  
  
'She is so beautiful. I wonder if she would take a walk with me.' As Endymion thought this, he stepped out from behind the corner and started walking toward the princess.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Serenity's P.O.V~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
'He's so much more handsome now,' Serenity thought. 'He's a lot more relaxed than he used to be, too. I wonder what he's doing now? I wonder if he would go for a walk with me?' Serenity decided that this was an excellent idea and was about to go to the guest chambers to find Endymion when she saw him come around the corner. Serenity's heart began to pound against her chest, and she prayed to all the gods that she'd ever heard of that Endymion couldn't hear it.  
  
For a moment, neither could speak. They just stared at each other, noting the changes that four years had made to their features. This was the first chance they'd had to take a good look at each other.  
  
Endymion finally found the power to speak. "Good evening, Princess," he said and stepped forward to take her hand and bring it to his lips, in a tender kiss.  
  
Serenity blushed a deep scarlet. "G…g…good evening," Serenity managed to stammer in reply. She finally found her voice again and asked, "Would you care to take a walk with me in the gardens?"  
  
Endymion's heart skipped a beat. He was overjoyed and nearly shouted "YES!", causing both himself and Serenity to blush. Endymion offered his arm to Serenity, who took it with a gentle touch, and both proceeded out to the gardens.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Narrator's P.O.V.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Serenity showed Endymion the violets, the tulips, and various other types of flowers. She even showed him some that he didn't recognize from Earth. When they reached the rose garden, they sat in a marble bench and talked together companionably. They talked about everything from Rei and Serenity's last fight to who their favorite authors were. They discussed new responsibilities they had recently undertaken.  
  
Endymion realized just how much Serenity had changed. The fourteen-year-old Serenity that he had known wouldn't have been able to carry on a conversation about authors because the Serenity he had known didn't read anything except the comic books that he and his parents had brought with them from Earth.  
  
Serenity was also noticing the changes that Endymion had gone through. He was much more talkative and open. It used to be that she did all the talking while he sat there listening intently, only offering minor comments. Now he was commenting, giving advice and talking about some of his own experiences.  
  
Endymion himself couldn't believe how much he was confessing to her. 'I don't even talk to Kunzite the way I'm pouring my heart out to Serenity. It just feels so right. Just she and I alone together, almost like we were made for each other.'  
  
As Endymion realized this he fell silent, concentrating on how beautiful the night, and Serenity, were. Serenity was also sitting there in silence, noticing that the flowers were astounding, and so was Endymion.  
  
Endymion looked Serenity over for the second time since they had been together (he hadn't been paying attention before, they'd been too busy talking.) He felt his body respond to the soft lips and luscious curves of her body. He started to blush with the heat of his desire and thanked the gods that it was just dark enough to hide his face.  
  
Serenity noticed the look Endymion was giving her (she didn't see the blush though!) and blushed herself. Unfortunately, unlike Serenity, Endymion did see her blush; and, to him, it only made her more stunning.  
  
A little uncomfortable now, Serenity quickly excused herself and walked, almost ran, back to her bedchambers.  
  
Serenity avoided him the next day. She was confused about what had happened between Endymion and herself. She had felt flushed and hot yet she had been having cold shivers at the same time. She hadn't really avoided him purposely though. Actually she had wanted to see him, but Minako, Makoto, Rei, and Ami had been around her all day, grilling her for information. Rei had seen Serenity and Endymion entering the gardens and had told all the other girls about it. Even Ami had been interested in what had occurred between the two. They all bothered Serenity from the time she got up until the time she locked the door to her bedchambers.  
  
She walked out on to her balcony and stared up at the Earth. "I wish Endymion was here. I've wanted to talk to him all day, but Rei and the others were bothering me so much that I couldn't find a minute for myself," Serenity commented to herself.  
  
"Endymion is here," Endymion stated as he emerged from the bushes beneath her balcony. He watched her eyes light up as he stood up to his full height.  
  
"Oh Endymion! What are you doing here?" Serenity cried, overjoyed to see him. She didn't even care that he had been spying on her before that moment.  
  
"I came to see you, Serenity."  
  
"Wait there. I'll be down in a moment." And with that, the beautiful Serenity left the view of Endymion's pleading eyes. He didn't want her to leave his sight, even if it was to bring her magnificent body closer to his.  
  
Serenity came running around the corner and, going back to her klutzy days, tripped on her dress. She closed her eyes, expecting to feel the familiar pain of a skinned elbow or a bruised knee, but, to her amazement, she felt soft fabric against her cheek and strong arms wrapped around her middle, supporting her body weight. She looked up into Endymion's stormy blue eyes. She felt a sense of worry wash through her mind. She knew that she hadn't been worried; the pain was too familiar to her for her to worry. But she knew that she had felt a wave of worry wash through her mind. Unknown to both of them, this was the first message to pass through their special link.  
  
"Are you all right?" Endymion asked, concern showing in his voice and eyes.  
  
"I'm fine," Serenity replied, "thanks to you." Serenity could not only see but feel the worry give way to relief. Then she nearly fainted when she felt another emotion, which she couldn't name, make her loose her footing again, and she clung tighter to Endymion.  
  
Endymion held her; reveling in the pleasant smell and silky feel of her long, silver hair. Most of all he was enjoying being able to hold her like this. He felt his body respond to her again and a wave of desire and love swept through him. 'I love you, Serenity, and I wish I could tell you.'  
  
Without any hesitation, Serenity replied, "I love you, too."  
  
The stunned Endymion stared at her for a moment. First shock, at having her hear his thoughts, then relief that she now knew how he felt, ran through his mind. It had been the only thing that he couldn't tell her. He had known that he loved her since his last visit but he just hadn't been able to tell her. She had been too young anyway.  
  
As his shock disappeared, he realized that he was still holding her around her waist. Quickly he bent down and gave her a quick, but tender, kiss. He felt her stiffen in his arms and he swiftly let her go, looking at the ground.  
  
"I…I…I'm sorry…Serenity," he managed to force out, "I…I shouldn't have…" All other thoughts stopped after that. Serenity had almost run to him, and had kissed him hard and passionately.  
  
Endymion had awakened an almost forgotten longing that Serenity had crushed down to almost nothing. She had loved him since she was twelve, but she had been sure that he didn't love her. He had been sixteen at the time and much too busy with his friends Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoicite, and Kunzite to pay any attention to the young girl.  
  
For about half a second Endymion had hesitated, but he quickly responded and kissed her back just as hard.  
  
When they broke apart, there was a broad grin on Endymion's face as he bent down and swept the giggling Serenity up into his arms, spinning her around as he did so. He stopped spinning and kissed her gently again.  
  
"I love you, Serenity," he said out loud, looking directly into her eyes. "I've loved you for so long and I've wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you wouldn't want me." Endymion was finally able to tell her everything about himself.  
  
"Not want you?! I've wanted you since I was twelve. I love you, too, my Prince."  
  
Again they kissed, blocking out everything else. They should have been paying more attention to their surroundings.  
  
"Your Majesty! Have you become a traitor to your own people?!"  
  
Endymion turned around, drawing his sword, to face the all too familiar young woman. "You are the traitor, Beryl, and you will pay for this someday."  
  
"Time to die, your Majesty." And with those words, Beryl plunged her sword through Prince Endymion.  
  
"No!!!!" Serenity screamed, running over to Endymion. The only movement from him was the heavy breathing of a human gasping for his last breath. Serenity rested his head in her lap and held his hand tightly in hers.  
  
Endymion looked up into her beautiful, sad, blue eyes. Endymion used his last bit of strength to whisper, "I love you, Serenity." With that he shut his eyes and his breathing stopped.  
  
"No! Endymion! Don't leave me!" She looked around and saw Endymion's sword. 'He died trying to protect me, but I just can't live without him.' She picked up his sword and embedded it deep into her chest. Her body fell limp, covering the body of her loves.  
  
Suddenly a white light formed around Serenity and Endymion, lifting them up. The light separated into three bubbles, one holding Endymion, one holding Serenity, and one in the shape of a tiny crystal. The crystal flew into Serenity's chest and fused with her. Then the bubbles floated toward the Earth. The two bubbles had changed color when the crystal entered Serenity's body. As Serenity and Endymion floated through space, they were joined by bubbles containing Serenity's guardians, including her two cat advisors. All of them were sent to Earth so that they could start a new life and maybe to find each other again.  
  
THE END  
  
I know it's short but this is my first story so please respond and tell me what you think. Also I want to thank my editor, thanks Mom! 


End file.
